Advanced Television

Regulation

GB News in multiple rules breaches

A series of investigations by UK broadcast regulator Ofcom has concluded that five programmes on GB News featuring politicians acting as news presenters broke broadcasting due impartiality rules. Under the Broadcasting Code, news, in whatever form, must be presented with due impartiality. Additionally, a politician cannot be a newsreader, news interviewer or news reporter unless, exceptionally, […]

March 18, 2024By Colin Mann

MPs to question BBC chiefs

The UK House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee is to hold an Evidence Session with senior BBC executives on March 20th as part of its regular scrutiny of the broadcaster’s work. The cross-party Committee is likely to ask about the Government’s Mid-Term Review of the BBC, including the review’s recommendations on the BBC’s […]

March 18, 2024By Colin Mann

FCC votes for pay-TV pricing transparency

The Federal Communications Commission has adopted new rules requiring cable and satellite TV providers to specify the ‘all-in’ price clearly and prominently for video programming service in their promotional materials and on subscribers’ bills. The FCC aims to eliminate the misleading practice of describing video programming costs as a tax, fee, or surcharge. This updated […]

March 15, 2024By Colin Mann

Ofcom: Kids regularly see violent online content

Children first see violent online content while still at primary school and describe it as an inevitable part of being online, according to research commissioned by UK comms regulator Ofcom. All children who took part in the research came across violent content online, mostly via social media, video-sharing and messaging sites and apps. Many tell […]

March 15, 2024By Colin Mann

EU passes AI compliance law

The European Parliament has approved the first legal framework aimed at constraining the risks of AI. The AI Act works by classifying products according to risk and adjusting scrutiny accordingly. EU law makers said it would make the tech more “human-centric.” “The AI act is not the end of the journey but the starting point […]

March 13, 2024

Kuiper, SpaceX battle over deployment

Project Kuiper is planning its own mega-constellation and has already raised concerns about SpaceX’s proposed occupation of the 604 and 614 kms orbits. Amazon’s Project Kuiper has written to the FCC complaining about a SpaceX request to adjust the altitude of 7,500 satellites previously authorised to operate at altitudes of 525, 530 and 535 kms, […]

March 13, 2024By Chris Forrester

Netflix UK, WGGB, PMA sign writers deal

Netflix UK, the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) and the Personal Managers’ Association (PMA) have signed a new deal on remuneration which will apply to UK writers on Netflix scripted live-action commissioned series. The deal became effective as of February 1st and is the first agreement between a streaming service, the WGGB and the PMA. Anne […]

March 12, 2024

French open Altice probe

Investigators are looking into the scandal that first surfaced in Portugal involving the Altice’s co-founder. French prosecutors are investigating potential corruption that could involve Altice, according to Bloomberg. In July 2023 the group’s co-founder, Armando Pereira, and other business associates were arrested in Portugal for running a suspected money laundering scam through procurement processes. Pereira […]

March 11, 2024

TikTok facing ban or forced sale in US

A US congressional panel has approved a bill that would force ByteDance, the China-based parent company of TikTok, to sell the social media app within six months or face a ban. The measure, introduced by another House of Representatives committee and backed by the White House, cites national security concerns. In response, TikTok has said […]

March 8, 2024

Dinenage welcomes creative industries tax relief

Dame Caroline Dinenage, Chair of the UK House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee, has expressed her satisfaction regarding announcements in the Budget relating to tax relief for the UK film industry and support for the National Theatre. “Today’s announcements are a shot in the arm for our film industry and will help give […]

March 7, 2024By Colin Mann